Lehigh Carbon Community College Hit by IT Disruption, Campuses Remain Closed Lehigh Carbon Community College (LCCC) has faced an ongoing IT disruption, forcing the closure of its campuses since last week. As of Monday, the Allentown (Donley), Tamaqua (Morgan), and Airport locations remain shut down through at least Saturday, with no confirmed reopening date. The Schnecksville campus is set to reopen, though the situation has been described as chaotic. While the college has not disclosed the cause of the disruption, cybersecurity experts suggest it may involve a potential breach. Josh Braskie, CEO of Simply IT, explained that forensic teams are typically brought in to determine how the threat entered the network, which systems were affected, and whether data was stolen or encrypted. The investigation and recovery process can take significant time, depending on the scope of the incident. Despite the outage, LCCC’s online systems including Canvas, Zoom, and Google Workspace remain operational. The college has stated that it will provide updates as the forensic investigation and restoration efforts continue. Cybersecurity professionals note that recovery involves not only fixing the immediate issue but also assessing how far the breach may have spread before systems can be safely restored. The incident highlights the challenges institutions face in responding to and recovering from IT disruptions.

Interlock Ransomware Group Claims Attack on Community College of Beaver County In March 2026, the cybercriminal group Interlock took responsibility for a ransomware attack on Community College of Beaver County (CCBC), a public institution in Pennsylvania serving over 7,000 students. The attack, disclosed by CCBC on March 9, 2026, encrypted critical data and disrupted access to grades, transcripts, and financial records. The college temporarily closed its campus, with in-person classes resuming only on March 30. Interlock, which operates a data leak site, claimed to have stolen 780 GB of data, including personal records, financial documents, and contracts, which it threatened to release publicly. While the group has asserted responsibility, CCBC has not confirmed Interlock’s involvement, and key details such as the ransom demand, payment status, and breach method remain undisclosed. The college is conducting an investigation to determine the full scope of the incident. About Interlock First active in October 2024, Interlock is a ransomware operation that both encrypts systems and exfiltrates data, demanding payment for decryption and deletion of stolen files. Since its emergence, the group has claimed 98 attacks, with 47 confirmed by victims. Of those, 15 targeted educational institutions, highlighting a growing trend of ransomware threats against schools. Ransomware Surge in U.S. Education The CCBC attack is part of a broader wave of ransomware incidents affecting U.S. schools in 2026. Other recent victims include: - Denmark School District (WI) – January 2026 (Inc ransomware) - Alcorn School District (MS) – March 2026 (LockBit) - Lehigh Carbon Community College (PA) – March 2026 (Medusa) - Monmouth University (NJ) – March 2026 (PEAR) - Alamo Heights ISD (TX) – March 2026 Such attacks can cripple operations, leading to prolonged downtime, data loss, and heightened fraud risks for students and staff. Schools that refuse to pay may face extended disruptions, though compliance with ransom demands does not guarantee data recovery or attacker silence.